Classic Recipes from Chef Justin North’s Book “French Lessons”

When I look back, it seems to me that I sort of fell into French cookery. I wasn’t born in France, nor do I have French heritage, but by some happy accident, many of my formative cooking years were spent working in great French restaurants in Australia and around Europe. I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with some of the greatest French chefs of our time – and I’ve made it a point to eat in the restaurants of many more!

To be honest, when I began my journey I didn’t have the same passion for food that I do today. In fact, I don’t really believe passion is something you’re born with. In my experience, it’s something that grows over time along with drive and determination to succeed. And it needs to be nurtured. With me, it’s been something that grew as I grew, that evolved and strengthened with each year and with each chef I was lucky enough to work with.

If a passion for good food is developed over a long time, a passion for French food can take even longer because it is such a vast and comprehensive cuisine to get to know and it is so steeped in tradition. But there is no doubt that in the West, at least, la cuisine classique is the model for most cooking schools and an understanding of the techniques and methods is well worth mastering even for the home cook.

Accessible and Feasible

The primary goal of my book, French Lessons, is to provide an insight into the world of French cookery in a way that is accessible and feasible for home cooks of all abilities. It’s not intended to be a Larousse Gastronomique or to duplicate a professional Cordon Bleu cookery course, but rather, to bring a wide range of useful techniques within reach of even the most timid cook.

In my view, the somewhat rigid traditional approach to French cooking, with its reliance on heavy ingredients like butter, flour and cream, is fast disappearing in restaurant kitchens the world over. The modern choice is for lighter, more delicate and intensely flavoured foods. This shift is certainly reflected in my own approach to cooking. Another of my goals in French Lessons is to encourage home cooks to develop a similar approach to food and to cooking as to what you find in France. That is, to focus far more on quality and freshness than on convenience when it comes to selecting your produce.

In many French towns, people shop for food on a daily basis, and fresh produce markets rather than giant supermarkets are still the preferred option, wherever possible. While I understand that not many people have the time or opportunity to shop daily, I do really encourage you to spend more time shopping at markets and greengrocers, to support your local butchers and fishmongers, to spend the extra on organic and free-range, rather than mass-produced foodstuffs. Not only will your dinner taste better, but you will also be doing your part to keep alive the dream of the small, local and passionate producers who so greatly need your support.

Savour the Experience

It’s important, too, to realise that good food takes a level of care. We all tend to rush about frantically, crying that we are ‘time-poor’. Well, cooking is a great way to make yourself slow down. Try to think of cooking as something to be savoured and enjoyed, not rushed through as a means to an end.

A considered approach to cooking is quite different from grabbing ingredients and tossing them together as quickly as you can. But I believe the rewards are far greater. If you take the time to understand the techniques employed when cooking, it will be reflected in the finished dish. It is certainly possible to make good stocks and sauces at home, using top-notch ingredients and with minimal fuss.

In a nutshell, one might like to say that in my book you’ll find lessons that respect the traditions of the past, but with a definite nod to present trends and to the future. I hope you enjoy cooking the recipes as much as  I enjoyed researching, practising and compiling them.

Lobster and Parmesan Omelette

A simple omelette is one of life’s great pleasures. This version is unashamedly luxurious, but I urge you to try the recipe… it is to die for! Instead of lobster, the omelette can be made with fresh crab, marron, crayfish, rock lobster, prawns (shrimp) or even smoked salmon.

Serves 4

Preparation time 20 minutes, cooking time 4 minutes

 

1 roasted lobster tail

200 ml (7 fl oz) Hollandaise sauce*

250 ml (8 1/2 fl oz) lobster bisque, reduced to

100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz)

80 g (3 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tablespoon brandy

1 teaspoon English mustard

Salt and pepper

Few drops lemon juice

80 ml (3 fl oz) cream

8 eggs

20 g (3/4 oz) butter

1. Remove the roasted lobster tail from the shell, cut into large chunks and set to one side.

2. Combine the Hollandaise, reduced bisque, Parmesan, brandy and mustard in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add a few drops of lemon juice and stir to combine. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the sauce.

3. Preheat your oven grill (broiler) to its highest temperature.

4. Break the eggs into another mixing bowl and whisk together well. Lightly butter 4 rösti pans (or an egg-poaching pan with four holes) and place over a moderate heat. Divide the eggs between the 4 pans and cook for 2 minutes– they will still be quite runny in the middle.

5. Divide the lobster meat evenly between the 4 omelettes and spoon over a generous amount of sauce. Place the pans under the preheated grill and cook for a few minutes until the omelettes are puffed up and golden brown. Serve hot from the grill with crusty baguettes and plenty of cold French butter.

*Hollandaise sauce

 

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar reduction

2 egg yolks

150 ml (5 fl oz) clarified butter

Salt and pepper

Few drops lemon juice

1. Put the vinegar reduction in a stainless steel bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water; the base of the bowl should not come into contact with the water. Add the egg yolks and whisk together until the mixture is thick, pale and creamy. Slowly trickle in the clarified butter, whisking continuously, until the sauce is thick and shiny. Remove from the heat, season and add the lemon juice. Serve straight away, or keep it in a warm place until ready to serve.

It will keep for 1-2 hours.

Prune and Armagnac Soufflé

The classic combination of dark sticky prunes and Armagnac works brilliantly in a soufflé and is one of my favourites. Serve with vanilla crème anglaise flavoured with Armagnac and a scoop of Armagnac and caramel ice cream. When you serve the soufflés dollop a scoop of ice cream on top of each one. It will gradually sink into the hot soufflé, making a wonderful contrast in temperatures as you eat.

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time 8 minutes

 

250 g (9 oz) crème pâtissière base*

20 ml (3/4 fl oz) Armagnac

80 g (3 oz) prunes, pitted and chopped

7 egg whites

140 g (5 oz) sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Prepare 4 individual soufflé dishes. Beat the crème pâtissière base to soften it, then stir in the Armagnac and chopped prunes.

2. Put the egg whites and sugar in a scrupulously clean electric mixer and whisk to soft peaks. Fold into the crème pâtissière and spoon into the prepared dishes. Level the surface with a palette knife and run it around the rim to create a small groove.

3. Place the soufflés on a baking tray and bake them for 8 minutes until risen and golden. Serve them straight away with your choice of accompaniment.

*Crème pâtissière base

 

360 ml (12 fl oz) milk

4 egg yolks

30 g (1 oz) sugar

20 g (3/4 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

20 g (3/4 oz) cornflour

1. Put the milk in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Put the egg yolks and sugar in an electric mixer and whisk to the ribbon stage. Fold in the sifted flour and cornflour.

3. Pour a third of the hot milk onto the egg mixture and whisk gently to combine. Pour back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot milk and cook gently over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes, whisking all the time. The custard will thicken to a stiff, glossy smooth paste.

4. Remove from the heat and stand the pan in a sink of iced water. Whisk vigorously to beat out any lumps.

5. When completely cold, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Excerpt from Justin North’s French Lessons: Recipes and techniques for a new generation of cooks. Published by Hardie Books, 2013. Justin North began his career in his native New Zealand before traveling to England where he worked with renowned chef Raymond Blanc. After three successful years honing his skills abroad, he returned to Australia where he cooked with Liam Tomlin at the much-missed Sydney restaurant Banc. In 2001, North opened his own restaurant, Bécasse, and it was met with instant critical and public acclaim. North is also the author of Bécasse.

From France Today Magazine